Friday, August 22, 2014

Hospitality

“I beseech you
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove
what is that good and
acceptable and perfect will of God. …given to hospitality.” (Romans 12:1-2, 13)

You wouldn’t normally
think of hospitality as a 'living-sacrifice' item but according to the apostle
Paul it is. Some bible translations use the phrase practice hospitality and that is ok but the intentioned meaning is
one of a deliberate pursuit. Given to
hospitality is closer to the idea. And this action on our part is a proof,
a tangible manifestation that we have indeed entered into our reasonable
service. Hosting others is right there in the same chapter with prophesy, exhortation, and mercy. It is
a big deal.

So, when we are told to
give our lives totally over to the Lord, He is kind enough to tell us what the
results will look like. And on this point, it looks like a crowded table.